Deep Geologic Repositories
Deep Geologic Repositories reviews the success stories of underground waste isolation. It focuses on repositories that did, do, and will permanently and safely isolate dangerous materials from the near-surface biosphere. Complementary topics address the isolation capability of average crustal rock, investigations at one representative underground research laboratory, and the geologic preservation of fission products from Precambrian nuclear reactors. An international cast of contributors presents proven practical solutions to a formerly confounding issue in environmental and engineering geology: What do we do with wastes that retain their dangerous characteristics in human terms forever? The principal answer: Recycling into the lithosphere by “reverse” mining.
Underground repositories for chemically toxic waste in German salt and potash mines
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Published:January 01, 2008
Abstract
German potash and salt mines have pioneered underground isolation of chemotoxic wastes. Comprehensive site-specific safety assessments have validated short- and long-term performance for each facility. Adherence to strict site prerequisites and waste-acceptance criteria combined with the reliance on enclosure inside multiple barriers justify confidence in the retention capacity of the total system. Underground waste isolation has been proven to be a success in Germany. Application of the lessons learned here will help solve environmental problems worldwide.
- Central Europe
- chemically precipitated rocks
- depth
- disposal barriers
- engineering properties
- Europe
- evaporites
- Germany
- Hesse
- mines
- pollution
- potash
- regulations
- risk assessment
- safety
- salt
- sedimentary rocks
- site exploration
- toxic materials
- underground installations
- underground storage
- waste disposal
- Herfa-Neurode Mine